Amazon Prime Thriller Movie Review: Intruders (Shut In)

Anna - who suffers from a severe case of agoraphobia - cannot escape from her house when three people break in, so the intruders think they will get away easily - until Anna's other psychoses break free.

This is a lesser-known thriller that I just happened to come across when browsing through Amazon Prime on a slow Saturday afternoon. I watched the trailer but, in hindsight, the trailer gave way too much of the story away. Even the movie's description details the main plot lines.  If you haven't seen the trailer already, just skip it and dive right into the film. The main performances are strong and convincing even if Anna is annoying in the very beginning. It's easy to see that something is very wrong with Anna beyond the agoraphobia but, just how mentally disturbed is quiet and reserved Anna?

Although the movie drags a bit in the middle, it doesn't waste time jumping into the story which is rare for a Hitchcock type thriller like this. The music and dark scenery add to the tension of the movie which continues to build until it's unexpected conclusion. This movie gave me a strange and unexpected feeling at the end. While I was not totally let down by it. I was not totally satisfied with it either. It presents a twist to the home invasion genre that's nice but, it doesn't fully flesh out that twist as well as it should. I'm having a problem writing this review because although I enjoyed the movie to some extent, it left me feeling somewhat empty. Part of the empty feeling might come from the fact that it seems to go on too long. This film might have worked better as a short film so that you can enjoy it without it leaving a bad taste in your mouth at the end.

As you can see, I have conflicting emotions about this film and you may experience this as well after you view it. I'd recommend this film on a slow weekend afternoon when you just want to watch something and zone out. It doesn't require you to think very much as the storyline does all the thinking for you. The twist towards the end sums up things rather nicely so you're not left with any loose ends. This film was a nice attempt at a Hitchcock-type thriller but, it missed the mark and a great opportunity.

Stream it on Amazon Prime.